A Collection of References from the

Quran and Hadeeth about the Rights of

Women guaranteed by Islam
Spiritual Equality of Women and Men
Allah has got ready forgiveness and tremendous rewards for
the Muslim men and women; the believing men and women;
the devout men and women; the truthful men and women;
the patiently suffering men and women; the humble men and
women; the almsgiving men and women; the fasting men and
women, the men and women who guard their chastity; and
the men and women who are exceedingly mindful of Allah.
(Al-Ahzab 33:35)

Attitudes towards women

O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against
their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye
may take away part of the dower ye have given them,-except
where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the
contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If
ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and
Allah brings about through it a great deal of good. (An-Nisa
4:19)

Collaboration and consultation

The believing men and women, are associates and helpers of
each other. They (collaborate) to promote all that is beneficial
and discourage all that is evil; to establish prayers and give
alms, and to obey Allah and his Messenger. Those are the
people whom Allah would grant mercy. Indeed Allah is Mighty
and Wise. (Al-Taubah 9:71)

Examples of Consensual Decision Making

If both spouses decide, by mutual consent and consultation,
on weaning [their baby], there is no blame on either. If you
want to have your babies breastfed by a foster mother you are
not doing anything blame-worthy provided you pay to the
fostermother what you had agreed to offer, in accordance with
the established manner. Fear Allah and know that Allah is
aware it what you are doing". (Al-Baqarah, 2:233)

Women's Right to Attend Mosques

Narrated Ibn Umar: The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "Allow women
to go to the Mosques at night." (Bukhari Volume 2, Book 13,
Number 22)

Narrated Ibn Umar: One of the wives of Umar (bin Al-Khattab)

used to offer the Fajr and the 'Isha' prayer in congregation in
the Mosque. She was asked why she had come out for the
prayer as she knew that Umar disliked it, and he has great
ghaira (self-respect). She replied, "What prevents him from
stopping me from this act?" The other replied, "The statement
of Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) : 'Do not stop Allah's women-slave
from going to Allah s Mosques' prevents him." (Bukhari
Volume 2, Book 13, Number 23)

Ibn 'Umar reported: Grant permission to women for going to

the mosque in the night. His son who was called Waqid said:
Then they would make mischief. He (the narrator) said: He
thumped his (son's) chest and said: I am narrating to you the
hadith of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him),
and you say: No! (Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 0890)

Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be

upon him) said: Do not deprive women of their share of the
mosques, when they seek permission from you. Bilal said: By
Allah, we would certainly prevent them. 'Abdullah said: I say
that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said it
and you say: We would certainly prevent them! (Sahih Muslim
Book 004, Number 0891)

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Atika
bint Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl, the wife of Umar ibn al-Khattab,
used to ask Umar ibn al-Khattab for permission to go to the
mosque. He would keep silent, so she would say, "By Allah, I
will go out, unless you forbid me," and he would not forbid
her. (Sunan Abu Dawud Book 14, Number 14.5.14)

The Common Performance of Ablutions

Narrated Ibn Umar: "It used to be that men and women would
perform ablutions together in the time of the Messenger of
Allah's assembly." (Bukhari: 1: Ch. 45, Book of Ablution)

Women's Right of Proposal

Narrated Sahl: A woman came to the Prophet, and presented
herself to him (for marriage). He said, "I am not in need of
women these days." Then a man said, "O Allah's Apostle!
Marry her to me." The Prophet asked him, "What have you
got?" He said, "I have got nothing." The Prophet said, "Give
her something, even an iron ring." He said, "I have got
nothing." The Prophet asked (him), "How much of the Quran
do you know (by heart)?" He said, "So much and so much."
The Prophet said, "I have married her to you for what you
know of the Quran." (Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 72)

Women's Right of Permission

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "A matron should not
be given in marriage except after consulting her; and a virgin
should not be given in marriage except after her permission."
The people asked, "O Allah's Apostle! How can we know her
permission?" He said, "Her silence (indicates her permission)."
(Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 67)

Narrated Khansa bint Khidam Al-Ansariya that her father gave

her in marriage when she was a matron and she disliked that
marriage. So she went to Allah's Apostle and he declared that
marriage invalid. (Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 69)

The Right of Women not to be Forced

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: Barira's husband was a slave called
Mughith, as if I am seeing him now, going behind Barira and
weeping with his tears flowing down his beard. The Prophet
said to 'Abbas, "O 'Abbas ! are you not astonished at the love
of Mughith for Barira and the hatred of Barira for Mughith?"
The Prophet then said to Barira, "Why don't you return to
him?" She said, "O Allah's Apostle! Do you order me to do
so?" He said, "No, I only intercede for him." She said, "I am
not in need of him." (Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 63, Number
206)

Asserting Women's Rights

Ibn Al-Jauzi narrated the virtues and merits of Umar bin Al-
Khattab (Allah bless him) in the following words: Umar
forbade the people from paying excessive dowries and
addressed them saying: "Don't fix the dowries for women over
forty ounces. If ever that is exceeded I shall deposit the
excess amount in the public treasury". As he descended from
the pulpit, a flat-nosed lady stood up from among the women
audience, and said: "It is not within your right". Umar asked:
"Why should this not be of my right?" she replied: "Because
Allah has proclaimed: 'even if you had given one of them
(wives) a whole treasure for dowry take not the least bit back.
Would you take it by false claim and a manifest sin'". (Al Nisa,
20). When he heard this, Umar said: "The woman is right and
the man (Umar) is wrong. It seems that all people have
deeper insight and wisdom than Umar". Then he returned to
the pulpit and declared: "O people, I had restricted the giving
of more than four hundred dirhams in dowry. Whosoever of
you wishes to give in dowry as much as he likes and finds
satisfaction in so doing may do so". quoted in: "On the
Position and Role of Women in Islam and Islamic Society"

Seeking advice and comfort

Narrated 'Aisha (the mother of the faithful believers): ... Then
Allah's Apostle returned with the Inspiration and with his heart
beating severely. Then he went to Khadija bint Khuwailid and
said, "Cover me! Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was
over and after that he told her everything that had happened
and said, "I fear that something may happen to me." Khadija
replied, "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You
keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and
the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the
deserving calamity-afflicted ones." Khadija then accompanied
him to her cousin Waraqa bin Naufal bin Asad bin 'Abdul 'Uzza
... (Bukhari Volume 1, Book 1, Number 3)

The Characteristics of a Believing Man

Narrated AbuHurayrah: Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: a
believing man should not hate a believing woman; if he
dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with
another. (Muslim Book 8, Number 3469)

The Education of Women

Narrated Abu Said: A woman came to Allah's Apostle and said,
"O Allah's Apostle! Men (only) benefit by your teachings, so
please devote to us from (some of) your time, a day on which
we may come to you so that you may teach us of what Allah
has taught you." Allah's Apostle said, "Gather on such-and-
such a day at such-and-such a place." They gathered and
Allah's Apostle came to them and taught them of what Allah
had taught him. (Bukhari Volume 9, Book 92, Number 413)

On the Treatment of Women

Narrated Mu'awiyah al-Qushayri: I went to the Apostle of Allah
(pbuh) and asked him: "What do you say (command) about
our wives?" He replied: "Give them food what you have for
yourself, and clothe them by which you clothe yourself, and do
not beat them, and do not revile them." (Sunan Abu Dawud:
Book 11, Number 2139) "The best of you is one who is best
towards his family and I am best towards the family". (At-
Tirmithy). "None but a noble man treats women in an
honourable manner. And none but an ignoble treats women
disgracefully". (At-Tirmithy).

A Husband must keep the Privacy of his Wife

Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri: Allah's Messenger
(peace_be_upon_him) said: The most wicked among the
people in the eye of Allah on the Day of Judgement is the man
who goes to his wife and she comes to him, and then he
divulges her secret. (Muslim Book 8, Number 3369)

A Husband's Attitude
'Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) said that a man came to his house
to complain about his wife. On reaching the door of his house,
he hears 'Umar's wife shouting at him and reviling him. Seeing
this, he was about to go back, thinking that 'Umar himself was
in the same position and, therefore, could hardly suggest any
solution for his problem. 'Umar (RA) saw the man turn back,
so he called him and enquired about the purpose of his visit.
He said that he had come with a complaint against his wife,
but turned back on seeing the Caliph in the same position.
'Umar (RA) told him that he tolerated the excesses of his wife
for she had certain rights against him. He said, "Is it not true
that she prepares food for me, washes clothes for me and
suckles my children, thus saving me the expense of employing
a cook, a washerman and a nurse, though she is not legally
obliged in any way to do any of these things? Besides, I enjoy
peace of mind because of her and am kept away from
indecent acts on account of her. I therefore tolerate all her
excesses on account of these benefits. It is right that you
should also adopt the same attitude." quoted in Rahman, Role
of Muslim Women page 149

The Prophet's Disapproval of Women Beaters

Patient behavior was the practice of the Prophet, even when
his wife dared to address him harshly. Once his mother-in-law-
saw her daughter strike him with her fist on his noble chest.
When the enraged mother -in-law began to reproach her
daughter, the Prophet smilingly said, "Leave her alone; they
do worse than that." And once Abu Bakr, his father-in-law, was
invited to settle some misunderstanding between him and
Aishah. The Prophet said to her, "Will you speak, or shall I
speak?" Aisha said, "You speak, but do not say except the
truth." Abu Bakr was so outraged that he immediately struck
her severely, forcing her to run and seek protection behind the
back of the Prophet. Abu Bakr said, "O you the enemy of
herself! Does the Messenger of Allah say but the truth?" The
Prophet said, "O Abu Bakr, we did not invite you for this
[harsh dealing with Aishah], nor did we anticipate it." quoted
in: Mutual Rights and Obligations

And Allah (swt) knows best.

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